Credit card use in USA safe?

pauljoecoe

I used my credit card in Newark airport recently and was shocked to find that not only do they not use chip and pin but they never got me to sign.

They were was the simplist transactions ever. Hand over card, swipe, give card back.

This cannot be typical can it? I used it twice in two different locations and both did this.

jen245

If the transactions are under $50, you are not required to sign. Not sure if its the norm all over the US, but certainly is the case in New York and Florida

dreamyd

When we were in California (2005) and Vegas (2007), you had to show photo ID to use a credit card. I took my passport, as I wasn't sure that they'd recognise a UK provisional licence. They would check your ID ,the nask you to sign, often using an electronic pad.

glider3560

There is a service offered by MasterCard called QPS which allows small payments (<$50) to be taken without signing or entering a PIN.

You may well see QPS next to UK transactions that have gone through this service, even though you typically need to enter your PIN/sign in the UK.

someone

glider3560 wrote: »

You may well see QPS next to UK transactions that have gone through this service, even though you typically need to enter your PIN/sign in the UK.

We sort of are, there is a slow introduction of contactless payment cards and machines. The good news is that the system is integrated into "chip and pin" so is more secure and can force a normal chip and pin transaction when a number of contactless transactions occur in a row.

dreamyd wrote:

When we were in California (2005) and Vegas (2007), you had to show photo ID to use a credit card

Technically this is against the contracts the stores sign with the banks. It's quite wide spread in the states but and place doing it risk not been able to take cards.

Visa_Merchant_Card_Acceptance_Policy wrote:

Cardholder ID
Although Visa rules do not preclude merchants from asking for cardholder ID, merchants cannot make an ID a condition of acceptance. Therefore, merchants cannot refuse to complete a purchase transaction because a cardholder refuses to provide ID . Visa believes merchants should not ask for ID as part of their regular card acceptance procedures. Laws in several states also make it illegal for merchants to write a cardholder's personal information, such as an address or phone number, on a sales receipt.

By all means they can code 10 the card to get authorisation but they are not suppose to flat out reject the card for not having ID. Remember VISA and MasterCard see a future where all you need is one magical card you can use anywhere, for everything and for you to have no idea what cash is.

dawyldthing

i would say be careful if you buy a coach ticket on greyhound as it was the only time i had used my credit card in a year and all of a sudden it was in the redar of HSBC and they blocked it as they said that they detected wrong activity. Other than that I used it a lot and you do usually need your id, but its pretty safe ish. Just make sure you tell your bank before you go